Court Rules- Employee discriminated against due to family status

Feb 05, 2013

The Toronto Star reported that last week a Federal Court ruling stated, “employers must try to accommodate employees with family obligations,” a decision in reference to the 2010 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case for Fiona Johnstone.

In order for Johnstone to make child care arrangements for her infant while keeping a full- time position, she asked her employer for alternate working schedules, including working three thirteen hour shifts a week.

Her requests were denied, and Johnstone and her husband struggled to arrange child care due to their irregular working shifts. In 2004, while working for the Canadian Border Services, Johnstone filed a human rights complaint.

Nine years later, positive results emerged from this case and during a recent interview, Johnstone states, “I’m happy that colleagues in my position won’t have to fight the battle I had to fight” (Toronto Star).

Finding quality child care is difficult for parents across Ontario. Child care is severely underfunded every year, and as a result the level of access and affordability for parents is of major concern.